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THE WRONG MARQUESS

From the The Mating Habits of Scoundrels series , Vol. 3

A witty, classic Regency romance.

One too many marquesses for a near spinster.

Ellie Parrish has known her entire life that she’s destined to marry a marquess. One in particular, actually: her childhood friend George, Marquess of Nethersole. He’s certain to settle down and propose any day now, she keeps telling herself, even though she’s already 25. So he’s the only marquess she cares to think about, even after she runs into another one accidentally. But Brandon, Marquess of Hullworth, is sure their collision is no accident. As the most eligible bachelor in London, he can’t walk through a park without half a dozen women dropping their handkerchiefs or turning their ankles to get his attention. Ellie has no interest in Brandon beyond being friends with his sister, though, and by the time he finally believes that, he realizes that he might actually be interested in her. Anxious by nature, Ellie is drawn to Brandon’s gentle ways and actual interest in her, and the two begin a powerful and clandestine courtship, but even their intense chemistry might not be enough to pull her away from the certainty of having the life she’s always expected with the thoughtless, inconsistent George. Her ongoing indecision is a weak spot in an otherwise charming Regency. Lorret’s writing sparkles, as ever, with delicious banter between Ellie and Brandon and clever writing throughout. But with their attraction so strong and George such an obvious cad, it's hard to fathom why it takes Ellie the entire book to figure out which one of her marquesses is the wrong one. Though Ellie and her friends are still working on The Marriage Habits of the Native Aristocrat, the guidebook introduced earlier in the Mating Habits of Scoundrels series, she is surprisingly naïve about George’s behavior. Nevertheless, this is an enjoyable entry, with slightly purple intimate scenes heightened by Ellie’s intense physical reactions to the unexpected and a cliffhanger ending setting up the fourth book in the series nicely.

A witty, classic Regency romance.

Pub Date: June 29, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-06-297662-8

Page Count: 400

Publisher: Avon/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021

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JUST FOR THE SUMMER

A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.

Two people with bad luck in relationships find each other through a popular Reddit thread.

Emma Grant and her best friend, Maddy, are travel nurses, working at hospitals for three-month stints while they see the country. Just a few weeks before they’re set to move to Hawaii, Emma reads a popular “Am I the Asshole” Reddit thread from a Minnesota man who thinks he’s cursed—women he dates find their soulmates after breaking up with him, and the latest one found true love with his best friend! Emma has had a similar experience, which inspires her to DM the man and commiserate. She’s delighted by her witty, lively interactions with software engineer Justin Dahl, and is intrigued when he suggests that if they date each other, maybe they’ll each find their soulmate afterward. Emma upends the Hawaii plan and convinces Maddy to move to Minneapolis for the summer so she can meet Justin in person. The overly complex setup brings Emma and Justin together and the two hit it off, with Justin immediately falling head over heels for Emma. Jimenez then pivots to creating romantic roadblocks and melodramatic subplots centering on each character’s family of origin. Justin’s mother is about to serve six years in prison for embezzlement, which means Justin must move back home to care for his three much younger siblings. Emma was traumatized by her own mother for much of her childhood, left to fend for herself and eventually abandoned in the foster system. When her mother shows up in Minnesota, Emma must face her traumatic childhood and admit that she has prioritized her mother’s well-being over her own. There is little time devoted to Emma’s painful efforts to heal herself enough to accept Justin’s love, which leaves the novel feeling unsatisfying.

A wallowing, emotionally wrenching family drama that leaves little time for romance.

Pub Date: April 2, 2024

ISBN: 9781538704431

Page Count: 432

Publisher: Forever

Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024

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PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION

A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.

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A travel writer has one last shot at reconnecting with the best friend she just might be in love with.

Poppy and Alex couldn't be more different. She loves wearing bright colors while he prefers khakis and a T-shirt. She likes just about everything while he’s a bit more discerning. And yet, their opposites-attract friendship works because they love each other…in a totally platonic way. Probably. Even though they have their own separate lives (Poppy lives in New York City and is a travel writer with a popular Instagram account; Alex is a high school teacher in their tiny Ohio hometown), they still manage to get together each summer for one fabulous vacation. They grow closer every year, but Poppy doesn’t let herself linger on her feelings for Alex—she doesn’t want to ruin their friendship or the way she can be fully herself with him. They continue to date other people, even bringing their serious partners on their summer vacations…but then, after a falling-out, they stop speaking. When Poppy finds herself facing a serious bout of ennui, unhappy with her glamorous job and the life she’s been dreaming of forever, she thinks back to the last time she was truly happy: her last vacation with Alex. And so, though they haven’t spoken in two years, she asks him to take another vacation with her. She’s determined to bridge the gap that’s formed between them and become best friends again, but to do that, she’ll have to be honest with Alex—and herself—about her true feelings. In chapters that jump around in time, Henry shows readers the progression (and dissolution) of Poppy and Alex’s friendship. Their slow-burn love story hits on beloved romance tropes (such as there unexpectedly being only one bed on the reconciliation trip Poppy plans) while still feeling entirely fresh. Henry’s biggest strength is in the sparkling, often laugh-out-loud-funny dialogue, particularly the banter-filled conversations between Poppy and Alex. But there’s depth to the story, too—Poppy’s feeling of dissatisfaction with a life that should be making her happy as well as her unresolved feelings toward the difficult parts of her childhood make her a sympathetic and relatable character. The end result is a story that pays homage to classic romantic comedies while having a point of view all its own.

A warm and winning "When Harry Met Sally…" update that hits all the perfect notes.

Pub Date: May 11, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-9848-0675-8

Page Count: 384

Publisher: Berkley

Review Posted Online: March 2, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021

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